By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Politics and religion may not mix, but politics and wine? That’s a different story.
Two Michigan entrepreneurs, John Helmholdt from Grand Rapids and Chris Trebilcock from Royal Oak, launched Political Wine in spring last year with a goal of selling 600 cases in a year, but the company exceeded sales of 750 cases in the first six months on the market.
Giving both Democrats and Republicans “equal time,” the company offers two wines for each party, whimsically labeled with humanized versions of each party’s symbol: dapper donkeys on blue labels, elegant elephants on red labels.
Democrats choose from Jack Blue, a semi-dry white table wine and Jackie O’Rouge, a red table wine. Republicans select from Red Trunk red table wine and Elie Blanc (think white elephant) semi-dry white table wine.
From growing the grapes to the bottling, everything about the wine is purely Michigan.
“St. Julian winery in Paw Paw is our running mate,” Helmholdt says. “We worked with the vintner to develop these specialty wines; they make it and bottle it. Kent Beverage is our distributor.”
Three 2009 Presidential Inaugural Balls featured the wines. Helmholdt envisions the libation as part of local political campaigns, political wining and dining, golf outings, and gifts for major donors and attendees.
“If you’re going to do a political event and serve wine, serve Michigan wine,” he says. “Better yet, serve Michigan Political Wine. The state has 83 counties, and every one has Republicans and Democrats as county parties. There are congressional districts, local and state political parties and elected officials.”
Political Wine is available online. The company is close to signing a Washington, D.C. distributor.
Source: John Helmholdt, Political Wine
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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